2012 Festive Message from the Chief Executive

21 December 2012

On behalf of all of us at Middlesex County Cricket Club I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

2012 really has been a fantastic year for the club, in which we’ve successfully managed to re-establish ourselves back in the top flight of the First-Class game, and in truth surpassed many people’s expectations in finishing third in the County Championship table.

It’s wonderful to be able to round off such a memorable year with a piece of terrific news that we announced earlier this week, which I’m sure you’ll agree, is more than worthy of a glass or two being raised in celebration over the festive period.

Mark Ramprakash’s return to Middlesex in the role of batting coach is a major coup for the club, as in Ramps we are lucky to have secured the services of the most prolific batsman our domestic First-Class game has seen in the last two decades. It will surely fill Middlesex fans everywhere with confidence that the coming year will once again prove to be a great year to follow the Middle.

With such an exciting year ahead, there’s never been a better time to spread the word to friends, colleagues and family members about the array of benefits that they too could easily be receiving if they were to become members of Middlesex. Don’t forget that if you are an existing member of Middlesex, our ‘introduce a friend’ scheme could see you getting a full and complete refund on your own annual membership fee as a thank you from the club when you introduce new members.

If you’re not already a member of Middlesex, you maybe aren’t aware of the exceptional value and unrivalled cricketing experience that could be yours.

No other county cricket membership offers you the opportunity to sit, surrounded by centuries of cricketing history and tradition, watching all Middlesex home matches at the Home of Cricket from the comfort of the world famous Lord’s Pavilion and Long Room. With this, and an ever increasing list of other fantastic benefits available to our members, you really should make joining Middlesex your 2013 New Year’s resolution.

If you are already enjoying the fruits of your own Middlesex membership, we’d really like to call upon you in asking you to play your part in promoting the benefits of Middlesex membership to friends, family and colleagues, encouraging them to join for the coming season. With your support, we can collectively ensure that Middlesex succeeds both on and off the field moving forward.

One piece of very sad news. Peter Byrne, Middlesex's longstanding statistician, passed away last week. Details of his funeral are unknown at present, but will be put up on the website when available. An obituary will also appear on the website in the New Year. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.

The Middlesex offices and club shop will be closing at lunchtime today, as we, like the majority of your good selves embark upon our own festive breaks, before returning on 2 January when business as usual will resume.

Please accept our sincere thanks for all of your support in 2012, and here’s hoping that you all have a thoroughly enjoyable festive period, that Santa brings you everything you’ve asked for, and that 2013 proves to be a prosperous and enjoyable year.

See you in 2013 for another exciting year ahead.

Vinny

Vinny Codrington – Chief Executive, Middlesex CCC

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Middlesex members should note that the members' priority ballot for International matches in 2013 has now closed.

If you would still like to apply for tickets you can enter the Public Ballot, which closes on 7 January 2013. Apply online at http://tickets.lords.org